Bassist Leif Edling commented: "This is truly incredible. What an honour! After nearly 30 years of playing, we get this amazing award. I never expected it when they called me. I was totally taken by surprise and had to pinch myself. It could have been Opeth, In Flames, Europe or Entombed, but they choose us! I can't believe it! We must have done something right."

"We recorded some classic albums in the 80's, but other bands did that too. Maybe it is what we've done lately that gave us this award? The newer albums have all been very well received, so perhaps it is what tipped the scale over to our advantage when you look at the entire period? After 28 years in the business we still make great albums. This is an incredible honour that gives our career the ultimate reward!"

Leif smiles and continues: "I feel fulfilled and proud. Mappe, Jan, Lars and I have been busting our asses for so many years now, and it means everything to us, this award! We don't have to do long tours anymore, we don't have to release an album every year or so, we need no Grammy nominations. We have nothing more to prove! We are the best band in Sweden of all time, for god's sake! We can relax now!"

"Well... lately the phone has been ringing like crazy, so there's no time to rest just yet, hehe! We got lots of gigs coming up next year, the Sweden Rock Magazine party on Jan 25th plus a whole bunch of cool shows, including... hopefully... an Ancient Dreams special anniversary show in Stockholm next fall/winter. It would be great if we could do that!"

"So, a sincere and heartfelt thanks from Candlemass to all our fans that have stood by us all these years... all of you that bought our records and came to the shows... and of course all of the journalists that voted for us! We love you all!"

Number two on the list are death metallers Entombed with Europe on number three.

Both Candlemass and Entombed will perform on two special concerts at Sweden Rock Magazine's 100th-issue party at Debaser Medis in Stockholm, Sweden on January 26th, 2013.

Candlemass recorded a heavy version of Entombed's classic song "To Ride, Shoot Straight And Speak The Truth". This marks vocalist Mats Levén's first official Candlemas recording since he took over from the recently departed Robert Lowe. Entombed are doing a cover of Candlemass' song "Black Dwarf" from 2005's comeback album Candlemass. These covers will be performed live at Sweden Rock Magazine's 100th-issue party. Ticket information here.

Written by Amatsu Mikaboshi on 28.12.2012 at 20:20Personally I find Bathory as the ultimate Scandinavian artist for me so far... I think both them and Candlemass equally just had a bad mid/late 90's streak, yet how that magazine didn't even show Bathory at all is one hell of a bitch please statement coming from me..

See the third highlighted link, in the opening paragraph? I believe that's a pic of the magazine cover... see Candlemass in big letters there, then Heavy Load underneath - look under "Load" to find Bathory. ...I had been thinking, perhaps exclusion cos the main guy[s] died, but... nope

After all this pish-posh, almost 30 years for Candy (congrats on both counts) and about 10 years of MS - this site still does not feature the band that did The Spooky Gloom? ...Wwwhy?

Formed in Sewden. One of the two founding members was Swedish. Based in Sweden for their first 2 years. 3/5 of the first lineup was Swedish. Beware The Heavens was Swedish.
I know they're listed here as Finnish and were based there from late 99 but they were originally Swedish.

MA also lists them as FInnish and as location Helsinki And as far as I know there aren't any Swedes part of the band any more.

King Diamond has been based in America since (I think) the late 90s but are still Danish (only King is Danish, though), so a band can relocate while still being considered as from their original country. Darkestrah was listed here as German for a while (they're originally from that 'stan country I can't spell). Let's just say Sinergy are duel-national and move on.
(back on topic) I'm suprised no one's mentioned Opeth or any of the Gotherberg bands yet.

I think I had a Candlemass cd back in the late 80's and I know they are credited as being one of the founding fathers of doom metal but their is nooo waaay they are "better" than Opeth, gtfo. This seems more like a "lifetime achievement award".

thundercunt - 29.12.2012 at 17:47

No love for my brothas arckanum, marduk, or unleashed
sall good tho, a brotha can undastand why candlemass make tops on a chart like dis one
they bin around forever and wrote sum great albums

I think in the metal world, Candlemass is the Swedish band that deserved this award the most. They are the most consistent and influential Swedish metal band ever. Bathory was already riding the Hellhammer and Venom wave while Candlemass created what I still consider to be the best Doom album ever recorded, you know which one that is.

Still, knowing how these votes go, I'm surprised that Hammerfall and In Flames are not places 2 and 3, and that Entombed is so high on the list.

Can't understand why people consider Bathory a copy-cat... Venom played a sort of guttural NWOBHM, Hellhammer combined thrash metal with early death and black metal, they sound completely different, not to mention that all these 3 bands were born in entirely different places.

Maybe Venom, Hellhammer and later Celtic Frost paved the way for the future black metal scene, but it is also true that Bathory released one of the most influential black metal album, and maybe the album that triggered the Norwegian black metal scene, Under the Sign of the Black Mark back in 1987.

Like any band, Bathory had ups and downs, though albums like Hammerheart, Twilight of the Gods, Blood on Ice, Blood Fire Death or Nordland I & II are albums that have absolutely no equal, never heard of bands that could even get close to the feeling these albums deliver. Not to mention The Return and the self-titled debut album, pretty much insane records. I think we are way too quick to dismiss Bathory, while their contribution for the development of the extreme metal we know today is tremendous.

I am happy that Candlemass got the award, but I do not consider them as influential as Bathory.

I'm surprised that Nocturnal Rites made it to the list and Shining (the jazz/black metal band) did not. Also happy to see Pain of Salvation, and I think Evergrey deserves a spot too for their long streak of high quality albums.

The Bathory vs. Candlemass thing over who was more influential seems sort of off the point as this was a list of the best bands, not the most influential. I don't think the two attributes are always in direct correlation, as what's "the best" is very subjective anyway.

Surprised Opeth didn't get it tbh, with how popular they are.

I'd say Amon Amarth are probably my favourite Swedish band. I like Candlemass too. And perhaps, after I listen to a few more of their albums, I'll consider Entombed to be the best. I've already listened to Left Hand Path and Clandestine and they're VERY solid